White Lies is what adolescent readers need: an exploration of the impact of the Civil War and all that follows from it. Bausum traces the story of the war and its aftermath of the "Lost Cause." It does a good job of explaining a complicated (and controversial) topic. I think a lot of histories aimed at young people steer away from it, thinking that the history behind the fallout from the war to be too much to handle. Bausum puts history in its place by exploring a series of "lies" about the Civil War and Reconstruction, and then continuing legacy.

I really appreciated the small vignettes throughout the book, looking at the memorials of various figures. I think it really made ideas concrete (no pun intended).

My only suggestion would be to have a larger section that explains some context to the civil war. While this a lot of attention given to slavery, I think the book would be well served by including some key points about the course of the war.

Even if students are not reading this, I think it gives an honest look at the time period, therefore great for anyone who wants a good readable overview of the events.

A fascinating inspection of the whitewashed Civil War history that many of us (*especially* in the South) are taught in school. How can one historical event seemingly have so many differences in the way it's remembered and taught? (Spoiler alert: white supremacy and racism.) How does this impact our greater view of our history and ourselves? So many important questions are discussed by Bausum in 'White Lies,' and it's a must-read for anyone wanting to delve into the harder truths of American history.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a welcome addition to the whitewashed history of the Civil War. As a person raised in the North and went to college in the South, I can say there is a vast difference in how the war is taught. Hopefully this book will be read by all.